Photos: Calgarians Unite to Protest Transgender and Non-Binary Children's Rights in Alberta

Allies and members of the transgender and non-binary community gathered outside Calgary City Hall on Feb. 3 to share their disapproval of new measures proposed by Premier Danielle Smith. A similar protest took place in Edmonton, and later in the week, students in Calgary walked out of class to protest.

The new legislation would change what gender assistance young people in Alberta can access and at what age. Any surgeries, hormone treatments and the prescription of puberty blockers now require parental notification and consent.

A doctor's and a psychologist's approval is also required before starting treatment.

Some of the new measures include:

• Transgender women are banned from women's sports leagues.
• Parents must have consent for their child to attend classes where the teacher can discuss topics of gender identity and sexuality.
• A school needs parental consent to change the name or names of a student under the age of 15.
• Gender confirmation therapy is not permitted for children under the age of 15.
• Top and bottom surgeries are only allowed for people over 18 years of age.

The conversation around youth suicide prevention has since grown, according to a 2022 study, with transgender youth five times more likely to have suicidal thoughts than cisgender heterosexual teens in Canada.

PHOTOS: ZACH PAINE

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